Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Everglades Headwaters NWR needs your support

The Marshall Foundation fully supports this endeavor; this is the same Project briefed by Charlie Pelizza at our Fall 2010 Board Meeting. This is a much needed addition to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), worth billions of dollars to the FL economy, and the means for more water storage and water quality treatment north of Lake Okeechobee.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) also requests your support at Scoping Meetings and during the Comment Period. Nancy, Josette, Pauline Stacy, and John had a conference call with NWRA. They are asking all to take some serious action to overcome some of the negative inputs received thus far.

Two Scoping meetings remain:

Feb 9 in Okeechoobee, 6 - 9 PM

Feb 10 in Vero Beach, 6- 9PM

There is a perception problem because people who showed up at the two previous scoping meetings were about 3:1 against; written comments are coming in at about the same ratio.

Comment period runs through Feb 28, 2011. Please make written comments, even if you can not show up for the scoping meetings. E-MAIL: EvergladesHeadwatersProposal@fws.gov

Additional information, meeting locations, and contact numbers can be found at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/greatereverglades/

A positive news report can be found at

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/turning-ranches-into-one-big-refuge-1218687.html

The Proposed Everglades Headwaters NWR needs your support. Feel free to forward this to an interested party.

Thanks for weighing in on this important increase in spatial extent of natural area, the first stated goal/objective of CERP.

John Arthur Marshall